Seized boats meant for LTTE expose state’s vulnerability

THE recent seizure of two boats, suspected to be built for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE), from two boatyards near Cochin and Trichur has put the Kerala police in a tizzy.

The cops have been sitting over warning sounded by Intelligence agencies as well as Navy that the LTTE might shift their operations, especially drug trafficking and arms running, in the wake of tighter vigil on the Tamil Nadu and Konkan coasts.

The presence of a large number of migrant labourers from Tamil Nadu makes the task easy for the Tigers. The police had recently found an LTTE activist, Sadaratinam, living with migrant laourers in Idukki district bordering Tamil Nadu.

Investigations into 10,000 detonators found abandoned in Calicut bus stand last year led to a man from Madurai whom the police suspect is involved in a chain supplying arms to LTTE.

The seizure of the two steel boats, capable of negotiating deep sea, from Munambam near Cochin and Kodungalloor in Trichur district indicates that the LTTE may have turned to Kerala for sourcing boats they need to combat the Sri Lankan forces.

Read more,
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?